


Good Night Ace

by FrenchToastie



Category: Left 4 Dead (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, One Shot, Rewrite, ellis is worried, mostly just to set the scene tho :/, nick just wants to sleep, rochelle and coach are their breifly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22273201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrenchToastie/pseuds/FrenchToastie
Summary: When Ellis is quiet, something is always wrong.
Relationships: Ellis/Nick (Left 4 Dead)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 69





	Good Night Ace

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a rewrite of a fanfic I wrote back in 2015 on ff.net called “Goodnight Kid”. It was one of my first fics and I wanted to salvage it as I still love Nick and Ellis with all my heart... also because someone said it was a father son relationship and I ain’t allowed to let it seem that way still in the gay old year of 2020. 
> 
> Any feedback is greatly appreciated:D

It had been a long day. Longer than most at least. A combination of way too many close calls, low supplies and hiding from witches had left the team exhausted. By the time they reached a safe house the sun had long been set. The space they now occupied consisted of one large room in the centre containing the supplies that they desperately needed, guns, ammo and a few med kits that hadn’t previously been taken. It also contained some basic furniture. A sofa here, some shelves there. The two rooms either side where about as bare. Both containing old mattresses on the floor that had clearly seen better days. 

“I’ll stay up for first watch,” Coach gave a shove to the heavy metal door, just to be sure it was secure, then sighed onto the couch to let his aching muscles rest. Looking towards both Rochelle and Ellis who had started to protest, “Don’t you two start complaining, we’re all about as bruised as each other. So I’m taking first watch. End of discussion.”

“Okay okay, but I’ll take over after you,” Rochelle crosses her arms and sighs.

“That’s all fine by me,” Nick says, running his hand through his hair, trying to tame the loose strands that had fallen. “And if it’s all fine by you, I’m heading to bed.” He throws up a hand good night as he walks into one of the make shift bedrooms. 

“I guess I’ll do the same. If I’m being honest I feel like I’m going to pass out just standing up. Night guys” Rochelle smiles at the remaining men in the room as she walks into the other bedroom. 

‘Night Ro’,” Ellis says returning the smile.

“I’ll see you in a few hours Rochelle,” With that coach turns to the remaining person who had perched himself at the other end of the couch, “What’s your plan, Ellis?”

“Oh, uh,” the mechanic shifts in his seat, “well I figured I’d stay up with you for a while,” 

“Boy I know for a fact you’re exhausted. I’ve never seen you so quiet… or so unenthusiastic towards a big explosion.” Ellis opened his mouth then closed it again, clearly knowing this was a loosing battle. “Get some rest son, you need it”

“I am mighty tired… night coach,”

“Sleep well Ellis,” 

With that the leader watched the mechanic head towards the bedroom Nick occupied. There was clearly something wrong, but it was best to wait till morning to pry it out of him, that or let the gambler deal with it instead. Chuckling to the thought, he hoped for the latter so that the optimism on legs came back sooner rather than later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“Nick?”

The conman sighed, he’d just about gotten comfortable when the soft southern voice came from the door way. Maybe if he stayed very still and very quiet his fellow surviver would leave.

“Are you awake?” 

God damn it.

“Yeah yeah I’m awake,” He rubs his eyes and sits up, rolling his shoulder and faces the door. 

“Did I wake you?”

“No.”

“Ok,”

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong or are you just going to stand in the doorway like a creep all night?” 

“Oh right yeah, uh,” he shuffled a bit, “Can I sit down?”

“Do what you want,” With no malice to his words, Nick shifted his feet up creating some space at the end of the mattress so Ellis could sit. 

“I don’t think I can sleep,” 

“I can see that,” Ellis looks down at his hands, picking at the skin around his nails. Nick sighs, it’s not normal for the hick to be so quiet and timid. “Why not?”

“I mean… don’t get me wrong I’m super tired. But I just, It’s like I can’t shut my brain off,” he pauses, “I keep thinking about that witch..” 

About halfway through the day a giant horde had swarmed the group of survivors. During the noise and the chaos they hadn’t heard the witch crying… or her screaming. So they hadn’t seen her make a beeline for Ellis. 

“Bitch came out of know where,”

“Nick.”

“Sorry, “ Nick may have been an asshole but he could read the mood, Ellis never liked talking ill of the recently reanimated and pushing it would make the mechanics mood worsen. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah I’m fine, she barely got a scratch on me,”

“Then why-”

“Don’t you find it weird how quick she went down?” Thinking about it, the kid was right. During the commotion his first instinct was to help Ellis and get him back on his feet, so he hadn’t really noticed that the infected woman went down with only a few shots to the head and chest as opposed to the multiple rounds it would usually take.

“Yeah. I mean it definitely wasn’t normal, but I really don’t think it’s something to worry about Ace. The fact she didn’t hold on for as long just meant that you’re alive to even be concerned about it.” 

Taking a shaky breath, Ellis removed his hat and shook his head.

“I think she knew she was a zombie. When you shot her, I was looking into her eyes and she just looked so tired but at the same time grateful. I don’t know how to explain it; she didn’t even put up a fight. It was like she knew and she finally got to rest and she was thankful.” His breath had quickened as he spoke, body shaking with his realisation. Nick shuffled forward to sit beside the other man, putting a hand on his biceps.

“El, you need to breathe.” He didn’t want Ellis to have a panic attack. He was usually so strong, it was almost scary to see him so beaten down. Taking a deep breath Ellis continued,

“What if they’re all aware of what’s going on, but because their ill they can’t reach out or nothin”

“Maybe so,” Nick had moved his hand to the younger mans back now, rubbing small circles with his thumb, “but if you where in that state would you want to continue living knowing you had no control,”

“No.. that just sounds awful ,”

“Exactly. So if they are conscious, I’d say we’re doing them a solid.”

“I s’pose,” the mechanic finally looks up so that Nick can see the silent tears that had fallen down his face. He suppressed the urge to wipe them away, “I just wish I could help them.”

“I know,”

They sat in silence for a while, Ellis eventually moving his head to rest on the con mans shoulder, who continued to rub Ellis’s back. Nick really was garnering a soft spot for the Georgian, when they first met he wouldn’t of imagined himself even allowing this situation to happen, but now? He all but welcomed the man into his arms. Whether that was due to the basic human need for touch or something else that he didn’t want to process right now, it didn’t matter. Ellis had come to him for comfort and he felt good about it. They sat like that for a while until the younger mans breath had evened as he nodded off.   
As gently as he could he removed the kids head off of his shoulder and laid him down onto the mattress. Looking down at his sleeping partner he gave into to urge to brush his hair away from his face, holding his hand to the other mans cheek, relishing in this private moment. Another hand reaches up to meet his, then runs down his shirt to pull him down onto the bed. Whether Ellis was really awake and knew what he was doing or simply reaching out for warmth in his sleep, Nick didn’t really mind. He allowed himself to be pulled down by the calloused hand, barely an inch between them less either of the men fall off the edge. In a final moment on weakness he pulls Ellis’s hand up to his mouth, so soft it’s barely even a kiss. This would be something to contemplate and ignore in the morning however, as he relaxed his body and closed his eyes.

With a final sigh he exhales,

“Good Night, Ace.”


End file.
